This is a fantastic carving of a bear. The Zuni were, and still are, the most well known for their fetish carving. Wait…did we just say “fetish”? The word may not have the same conotations here as its contemporary use. In this context, the word fetish goes back to its original meaning of conferring attributes of religious or mystical qualities to inanimate objects.
In many native cultures, the fetish carvings represent the animal spirit thought to reside in the stone. Initially, fetishes were likely found stones that had the rudimentary shape of an animal. Symbolic arrowheads were placed on the stones with a prayer that the hunter’s arrow would find its mark. Prayers included gratitude for the animal giving its life for the sustenance of the hunter and his family